Newstalk Today

Free For All Friday, hosted by Amanda Galbraith, features top talent from across the iHeart radio talk network. Hosts from all over the country join the roundtable to discuss the five biggest stories of the week.

This week's panelists are Al Ferraby, host of Mornings with Al Ferraby on CFAX1070 in Victoria, and Kristy Cameron, host of Ottawa Now on 580CFRA in Ottawa.  

Topics: 

Canada's COVID-19 vaccine rollout and the approval of Johnson & Johnson's one-dose vaccine.

The sexual misconduct allegations against Gen. Jonathan Vance and how the government is responding. 

The Royal family drama and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's upcoming interview with Oprah. 

Unifor indicating Air Canada is ready to refund customers in exchange for financial support from the government. 

Canada's hot housing market.

Evan Solomon discusses the updates to Canada's COVID-19 vaccination plan and the accelerated timeline. 

On today's show: 

Unifor president Jerry Dias discusses the potential government loans for the airline sector.

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, infectious diseases physician at the Toronto General Hospital and a member of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine task force, talks about Canada's vaccination plan. 

Evan shares his thoughts on the latest Royal family drama ahead of Oprah's interview with Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex. 

Michael Gier, director and producer of the Wounded Heroes documentary talks about this new film on PTSD. 

We hear from veterans and first-responders who are suffering from PTSD. 

Dr. Robin Andrews, volcanologist turned freelance science journalist, talks about the 17,000 earthquakes that have happened in Iceland this past week.

Evan Solomon discusses the provinces' COVID-19 vaccination plans.  

On today's show: 

We play Evan's full interview Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin on the province's COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

André Picard, health reporter and columnist for The Globe and Mail, talks about his new book, Neglected No More: The Urgent Need to Improve the Lives of Canada's Elders in the Wake of a Pandemic. 

Evan discusses a press conference held in China and the Ambassador's denial of allegations of genocide. 

We discuss the possibility of a pandemic federal election. 

Elwood Delaney, whose grandmother Dorothy Sewell was killed in the van attack, reacts to the guilty verdict. 

We hear listeners' thoughts on students completing final exams during the pandemic.

Evan Solomon discusses the latest StatCan data showing 2020 was the worst year on record for Canada's economy. 

On today's show: 

Dr. Brian Conway, infectious diseases specialist and medical director of Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre, discusses B.C.'s decision to delay the second vaccine dose by four months.

Amanda Lang, BNN Bloomberg anchor, talks about the latest StatCan data and the government's pandemic programs. 

Matthew Bamsey, senior engineer and project manager at the Canadian Space Agency, explains the CSA's Deep Space Food Challenge. 

We take texts and calls on vaccine passports. 

Philip Nel, Kansas State University distinguished professor in children’s literature, talks about the decision to stop publishing six of Dr. Seuss' books due to racial undertones.

Evan Solomon discusses Canada's COVID-19 vaccine rollout. 

On today's show: 

We play Evan's full interview with Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canada’s chief medical advisor, on Health Canada's approval of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. 

Jordan Evans discusses her stay in a government quarantine hotel in Montreal. 

Evan shares his thought's on Donald Trump's speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference. 

We play Evan's full interview with the Minister of Defence and veteran Harjit Sajjan on the allegations against Gen. Jonathan Vance and Admiral Art McDonald. 

NDP MP and Ethics Critic Charlie Angus discusses the new allegations against WE Charity.  

Ira Rosen, Emmy and Peabody award winner and a producer of CBS 60 Minutes for almost 25 years, talks about his new tell-all memoir, Ticking Clock: Behind the Scenes at 60 Minutes.

Amanda Galbraith fills-in for Evan Solomon. 

On today's show: 

We discuss the 'Framing Britney Spears' documentary and how the way we treat women has changed over the years.

We hear listeners' thoughts the Canada Pension Plan chief resigning after travelling to get vaccinated in Dubai. 

We take texts and calls on whether people would prefer shorter, more frequent lockdowns, or longer and less frequent lockdowns. 

We discuss the threats made against Dr. Bonnie Henry and other health officials during the pandemic. 

Conservative Public Safety Critic MP Shannon Stubbs explains why she wants the Liberals to suspend the mandatory hotel quarantine program. 

Amanda shares how her home renovation is going and hears listeners' worst home-reno stories. 

We discuss a B.C. high school student getting sent home because of the outfit she was wearing.

Evan Solomon hosts a panel discussion to compare the pandemic responses in Ontario, Quebec and B.C. Reporters from each province assign grades to how the provinces have handled schools, vaccines, long-term care, and communications. 

On today's show: 

Laura Stone, Queen’s Park reporter for The Globe and Mail, Aaron Derfel, health reporter for the Montreal Gazette, and Pamela Fayerman, a Vancouver health and medical journalist, take part in the 'pandemic report cards' panel discussion.

Christian Leuprecht, political science professor at the Royal Military College and Queen's University, weighs-in on the allegations against Gen. Vance and Admiral McDonald. 

We discuss the on-going issues with the government's quarantine hotel program. 

Shane Hartje, founder of First Steps Wellness Centre, explains why he is completing a 5,000km snowmobile journey around Manitoba.

Evan Solomon breaks down the latest news on Ontario's COVID-19 vaccination timeline and the vaccine rollout in other provinces. 

On today's show: 

Robert Benzie, Queen's Park Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star, and Dr. Marla Shapiro, CTV News Medical Specialist, discuss Ontario's COVID-19 vaccination plan.

We hear listeners' thoughts on a landmark ruling in a Chinese divorce court ordering the husband to compensate the wife for housework. 

Evan discusses Trudeau and Biden's first virtual meeting. 

Retired General Rick Hillier, head of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine task force, shares more details on Ontario's vaccine rollout. 

Scott Reid, CTV News political commentator and former communications director for Prime Minister Paul Martin, plays Overhyped vs. Underplayed. 

Philip Cohen, a sociology professor at the University of Maryland, talks about the 'pandemic Baby Bust." We also hear listeners' thoughts on this subject.

Evan Solomon discusses President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's first virtual meeting. 

On today's show: 

Scotty Greenwood, partner at Crestview Strategy and the CEO of the Canadian American Business Council, discusses Canada/U.S. relations ahead of Trudeau and Biden's first virtual meeting.

Dr. Michelle Cohen, family physician in Brighton, ON and assistant professor in the department of Family Medicine at Queen's University, talks about concerns some family doctors in Ontario are raising about the vaccine rollout. 

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, infectious diseases physician at Toronto General Hospital and a member of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine task force, discusses the province's vaccine rollout. 

We play Evan's full interview with Liberal MP Ali Ehsassi on the MPs vote on China committing genocide. 

Pam Palmater, Mi'kmaq lawyer and chair of Indigenous governance at Ryerson University, explains why Jeep should drop the name 'Cherokee.' 

Laura Tamblyn-Watts, CEO of CanAge, discusses the new report on the lack of seniors' vaccinations in Canada.

Evan Solomon discusses the latest news on Canada's COVID-19 vaccine delivery and rollout. 

On today's show: 

We play Evan's full interview with Procurement Minister Anita Anand on COVID-19 vaccine shipments.

Ben Novak, the lead biotechnology scientist at Revive & Restore, discusses the endangered U.S. ferret he helped clone. 

Evan discusses Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant promoting conspiracy theories. 

Conservative Foreign Affairs Critic Michael Chong talks about the MPs voting on China committing genocide. 

We hear listeners' concerns about the quarantine hotels. 

Karly Church, a human trafficking survivor who now works as a crisis intervention counsellor with Victim Services of Durham Region, shares her story on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.